Mainland invites Taiwan compatriots to get vaccinated

The Chinese mainland is willing to do the utmost to help Taiwan compatriots who come to the mainland to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said on Friday.

He made the remarks when asked about the mainland's view after many Taiwan compatriots expressed desire to come to the mainland for vaccination due to the severe shortage of vaccines on the island.

For Taiwan residents who come to the mainland on passenger flights they can get vaccinated in the mainland as long as they meet the vaccination requirements and strictly follow the entry epidemic prevention regulations before boarding and after arrival, with their voluntary and informed consent, Ma said in a statement.

According to preliminary statistics, the number of Taiwan compatriots vaccinated on the mainland reached 62,000 as of May 31, he said.

Since the new outbreak in the island began last month, Taiwan has recorded more than 100 newly confirmed cases per day for about 25 consecutive days. The island has been struggling with a shortage of vaccines, with just 1 percent of its 23 million people vaccinated.

The island media reported that many Taiwan people have flown to the mainland recently to get vaccinated after making appointments with the mainland authorities. Taiwan singer Hsiao Ching-teng and Yok Mu-ming, former president of the pro-unification New Party of Taiwan, received vaccine doses in Shanghai recently.

The Taiwan affairs office said several times earlier that the mainland was willing to arrange the prompt purchase of vaccines and send epidemic prevention and control experts to Taiwan. Some mainland organizations also expressed their willingness to donate vaccines to Taiwan.

The Democratic Progressive Party authorities in Taiwan refused the mainland offers and claimed the mainland had blocked Taiwan from buying overseas vaccines.

Ma said: "More than 80 percent of the people on the island are willing to receive mainland vaccines and hope that the island can import vaccines from the mainland as soon as possible."

However, the DPP authorities, ignoring public opinion and the health of people, made political manipulation on the vaccine issue and fabricated various excuses to prevent Taiwan residents from getting vaccines from the mainland, which was not popular, he said.

Ma urged the DPP authorities to listen carefully to the voices of people on the island, remove the man-made barriers to the import of vaccines from the mainland and enable the island residents to use safe and efficient mainland vaccines.